සංගීතය

An accomplished musician Fr. Jacome Gonsalvez composed Sinhala and Tamil hymns set Carantic ragas, folk music and Vannam. His work "Mangala Geethaya" (Canticles for Festivals) contained hymns set to folk music found in Seth Kavi, Pal Kavi and Goyam Kavi' The concluding hymns were composed in the Jayamangala metre. In the past these hymns were sung on feast days in churches to the accompaniment of drums (bera) and cymbals (atthala).

Fr. Jacome Gonsalvez also composed a set of hymns called "Ananda Kallippuwa" on the vanities of the world in Vannam style. Besides he is said to have written sermons similar to Buddhist Pin Anumodanawa that Catholics could chant at funerals to communicate merit to the dead.

The earliest Tamil work of Fr. Jacome Gonsalvez was "Christiani Alayam". This is supposed to be the oldest prayer book in our country. His book "Suvisesha Viriturai" contains the Gospel for Sundays and feast days with commentary. It surpasses its Sinhala counterpart "Suvisesha Visadyanaya" in its majestic diction and fuller treatment. 
(WTA Fernando)